PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
88
they have asked that further information may be obtained as to the methods of survey adopted, and the framework on which it is based.
4. I have accordingly to request you to furnish me with the detailed informa-
tion which the Committee ask for, under the following heads :-
(i.) Character and accuracy of major triangulation. Length of sides.
(ii.) Similar information regarding the minor triangulation. A diagram
should be supplied.
(iii.) Particulars of any traverses which have been run, and their degree of
accuracy.
(iv.) Diagram of lines chained in any small district.
(v.) Diagram of plotting of lines, and limit of error.
(vi.) Particulars of photographic or sun-printing work, with a specimen
plan.
(vii.) Method of field work generally,
together with any other information which may be likely to assist the Committee in forming an opinion as to the character of the work which is being done.
24538
No. 47.
I have, &c.,
CREWE.
REMARKS OF THE COLONIAL SURVEY COMMITTEE ON THE REPORT UPON THE BRITISH EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE BY SIR E. P. C. GIROUARD, K.C.M.G., OF 26TH MAY, 1910.*
(Confidential.)
The Colonial Survey Committee having been directed to examine a Report of Sir E. P. C. Girouard, Governor of British East Africa, dated 26th May, 1910,* su far as concerns Part II., 3 (d), Surveys, submit the following observations:—
(i.) Trigonometrical Survey-The Governor reports: "This is a luxury in our present financial position. It has rarely been applied to other Colonies until they became self-governing or self-supporting. It will, however, prove to be of incalcul- able benefit in the actual determination of the boundaries of farms."
་
There would appear to be some misunderstanding as regards this point. The Committee fully agree that a " geodetic triangulation," sometimes called a " trigono- metrical survey," would be a luxury in the present circumstances, but no such survey is being carried out. All that is being done is to execute a triangulation of just sufficient accuracy to form the base of the topographical mapping and the cadastral (farm) surveys. The last sentence of the paragraph quoted is in entire accordance with the views of the Committee. A trigonometrical framework is not less necessary for the topographical surveys. It is to be noted that there is no separate trigono metrical establishment. The trigonometrical and topographical staff are employed as one branch-a sound and practical arrangement. If any unpractical or useless work is being carried out the Committee are not aware of it, and it would be in entire opposition to the whole spirit and intention of the past recommendations of the Com- mittee.
(ii.) Topographical Survey.-The Governor says: Topographical Survey is even a greater luxury than Trigonometrical." The Committee must here point out that the commonly accepted idea that topographical surveys are expensive, has no foundation in fact. As instances of modern topographical surveys and their cost may be quoted :-
-
(a) The 1-inch Militia Department Survey of Canada, costing 20s. per square
mile.
(b) The 1-inch Military Survey of Australia, estimated to cost 20s. ner square
mile.
(c) The 4-inch Survey of the Orange Free State, costing 8s. 3d. per square
mile.
• No. 18381 in African No. 95£.
89
(d) The 4-inch Survey of the Manoeuvre Area of the Transvaal, costing 88. 3d.
per square mile.
(e) The 4-inch Survey of Uganda, costing 10s. 3d. per square mile.
The 4-inch Survey of the Cape of Good Hope, costing 7s. 6d. per square
mile.
The Governor goes on to say "In the last four years £68,000 has been spent on surveys, yet we do not possess even the roughest map of the Protectorate or of any province in it."
This is evidently written under a complete misapprehension of the facts of the case.
The Survey Department was established in 1903. It then consisted of a Chief Surveyor, who was also the Land Officer, one assistant, and one Indian clerk. In 1904 the staff was increased by the addition of six Europeans. In 1905 a Land Commission was specially appointed to enquire into the question of land and surveys, and reported very strongly in favour of a general and accurate survey, stating that as a consequence of the absence of such a survey "the general development of the country has received a severe check." At this period" the average time which elapsed between the date of application for a grant of land and the date of registry was 12:6 months, a delay which was a cause of considerable hardship to settlers of small
means."
"
As a consequence of this report the Survey Department was reorganised, and its new organization came into operation in April, 1906. The Land Department was separated from the Survey Department. The latter was composed of a trigono metrical party of one Assistant Director and three Europeans and a cadastral party of one Assistant Director and seven Europeans. The main energies of the Depart- ment were now definitely directed towards carrying out such cadastral and farm surveys as would get rid of the arrears of millions of acres of unsurveyed land required for settlement, and would enable a settler to obtain a clear title to his land in the course of a few weeks. All this has been done and there are no arrears. expenditure of £68,000 mentioned by the Governor was almost entirely on land settle- ment surveys. No tonographical survey party was formed until November, 1908. At the time the Governor signed his despatch the expenditure on this party had amounted to less than £3,000, so that, accepting his figure of £68,000, we have £65,000 expended on land settlement survey as against £3,000 on topographical survey. The statement quoted is thus in error in the proportion of 68 to 3.
The
In the next paragraph the Governor testifies that the Cadastral Branch" is now keeping up with the requirements of the highlands." This was the task which was set before it, and the organization and expenditure are, in the opinion of the Com- mittee, completely justified.
The Committee are at a loss to understand how it can be stated that "we do not possess even the roughest map of the Protectorate or of any province in it."
At the time that these words were written there were in Nairobi large stocks of the follow- ing maps produced by the Survey Department :—
Square miles.
1,850
(a) Five sheets of the Uasin Gishu Plateau, scale aaoo, covering
an area of
(b) One sheet of the Lumbwa and Sotik country, scales, area 3,650
Also two sheets of the Nairobi region had been sent home and printed, and the stock was on its way to Nairobi, scale 1700 and
area
In addition, the Survey Department have now completed work in the field in the highlands and on the coast, mainly on the scale of 10, area
Total
1,200
3,135
9,835
There should also be mentioned the sheets of the boundary surveys not carried
out by the Department, which cover an area of 7,920 square miles.
Thus, including some miscellaneous surveys, the total area well mapped is
20,000 square miles.
It is to be remembered that the topographical work has only been carried out since November, 1908. The work appears to be excellent. All the new work sent home is in hand and will be published within the next six months.
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(iii) Cadastral Survey. The Committee note with satisfaction that the Governor reports that "this branch is now keeping up with the requirements of the highlands." The Committee again draw attention to the fact that the sum of £68,000 erroneously mentioned in (ii) has been mainly expended in achieving this result, and that the Department is adequately fulfilling its chief function.
As regards the coast strip, there appears to be no doubt that a special effort should be made to carry out the land surveys which are required by the Recorder of Titles. This Committee recommended an increase of personnel for this purpose. The matter is being dealt with on another paper.
As regards the employment in the highlands of licensed surveyors in place of departmental surveyors, the effect would be very largely to revert to the chaos which obtained before the reorganisation in April, 1906. A minor effect would be that the Government surveyors would find their work mainly in the unhealthy parts of the Protectorate, whilst the easier work in a healthy climate would be carried out by private surveyors. This could not fail to have a bad effect on the Department.
(iv.) Recommendations.
(1.) As has been pointed out above, there appears to be a misunderstanding as to the meaning of the term trigonometrical survey. Triangulation is necessary as a framework for both cadastral and topographical surveys; it is a technical process which is essential to the efficient prosecution of those surveys, and is not an end in itself. To make the position quite clear, the Committee would lay down as a definite rule that no triangulation is to be carried out except what is actually necessary as a framework for these two classes of survey.
(2) The Committee dissent from the first clause of this recommendation, if the expression "present large scale " means present expenditure on topographical surveys. This expenditure is very small and will result in the course of a few years in a thoroughly trustworthy map. It appears from the tenour of the Governor's remarks that he has not seen any of the work produced, or the maps published.
If, however, the expression" present large scale" applies to the scale of the maps, the Committee feel that there is nerhaps something to be said in favour of this proposition. It will be noticed that before the Report in question was passed to the Committee, the Committee had already, in the Annual Report for the year 1909-10,* 12, pointed out that "it is for consideration whether economy might not be effected by the reduction of the scale of the topographical map of the Protectorate."
The present scale of the sheets near Nairobi and on the coast is 1/125,000. The Committee suggest that the opinion of the Governor should be obtained as to whether he sees any objection to the scale of the work being in figure 1/250,000 (about four miles to one inch), as it is in Uganda. This would cheapen the work if the Director of Surveys is allowed to deal with it systematically sheet by sheet. Special areas of importance could still be mapped on the larger scale, and all the work hitherto done would stand. The Committee take this opportunity of stating that they have examined the topographical sheets sent home by Major Smith; the work appears to be thoroughly well done, reflects credit on the Survey Department, and is not sur- passed in quality by the topographical surveys of any tropical country in the world.
(3) The question of the employment of licensed surveyors has been dealt with above. The Committee do not recommend this course. It is a mistake to suppose that it is the general custom in Crown Colonies or Protectorates. The custom does not obtain in Ceylon, the Federated Malay States, Southern Nigeria, or Uganda. Moreover, with a system of licensed surveyors any organised and effective cadastral survey is impossible. Those who have tried to fit together the farm maps of the South African Colonies made independently by private licensed surveyors know how inaccurate and unsystematic the work was.
The proposal to separate the Cadastral Survey from the other branches of the Department is, in the opinion of the Committee, unwise. The same triangulation serves for both. But the Committee think that on Major Smith's departure an economical re-arrangement of the directing staff might be effected.
To sum up, the present organization of the Survey Department is the result of the report of the Land Commission of 1905, of Major Smith's report of the same year, and of the independent inspection of 1906. The work is going on well, the settlers' grievances have been removed, and, as regards topographical maps, the fruits
• Colonial Report Annual No. 644.
91
of the labours of the recently appointed topographers are just becoming available. It would be a profound mistake to reorganise and upset the Department again, but some minor alterations can be made in the direction of economy and efficiency, i.e. :-
(a) It is to be definitely laid down that triangulation is only a means to an end, that only what is absolutely required as a framework is to be executed, and that no unnecessary refinement of accuracy is to be attempted.
(b) If the Governor concurs, the scale of the topographical series can be reduced to 350000, except in special areas; but if this is done the work must be taken up sheet by. sheet.
(c) As recommended by the Governor, an increase of personnel is necessary to
carry on the land surveys of the coast strip.
(d) On Major Smith's departure the personnel can be reduced by one officer, the new Director carrying out also the functions of Assistant Director of the Trigonometrical and Topographical Branch.
20th August, 1910.
29537
No. 48.
CYPRUS.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received September 26, 1910.);
(No. 191.)
[Answered by No. 49.]
MY LORD,
Government House, Troodos, 15th September, 1910. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 127, of the 5th of August,* on the subject of the proposed increase of the Survey staff with a view to completing the valuation of properties within the period of twenty years prescribed under Law No. 12 of 1907.'
2. Your Lordship informs me that my despatch, No. 93, of the 11th of May last,t in which I put forward Mr. Ongley's proposals, together with his request that he might be furnished as soon as possible with a skilled surveyor and an assistant from England, was referred to the Colonial Survey Committee in order that they might advise whether it was necessary to carry out so elaborate a survey as that involved in a 25-inch scale in order to comply with the requirements of the Law, and whether the staff suggested was necessary or, if so, adequate. And your Lordship instructs me to furnish certain detailed information as to the character of the work which is being done.
3. I referred your Lordship's despatch to Mr. Ongley, the Registrar-General, and he has furnished a memorandum with enclosures, copy of which I enclose, giving the information asked for. Mr. Ongley, however, is greatly perturbed at the re- opening of the question of the survey, which he considers has been settled since 1903, and at the prospect of further delay in the carrying out of the work in which his Department is engaged.
4. Mr. Ongley will, of course, be grateful for any technical advice which the Colonial Survey Committee may be able to offer in the further carrying out of the survey under the provisions of the Law of 1907; but what he is chiefly concerned in is the engagement, as soon as possible, of the surveyors applied for in my despatch, No. 93, of the 11th of May last. The principle of the 25-inch survey having been long since approved, and the law having, after much difficulty and delay, been passed, Mr. Ongley is extremely anxious to be placed in a position to proceed with his work with as little delay as possible.
• No. 46.
I have, &c.,
C. A. KING-HARMAN.
↑ No. 45.
1